Jepsen joins amicus briefs supporting gay marriage

As one of the states that has legalized same-sex marriage, Connecticut has joined a dozen other states in filing amicus briefs urging the U.S. Supreme Court to support lower court decisions striking down the Defense of Marriage Act, which limits marriage under federal law to the union of a man and a woman.

“Discrimination based on sexual orientation has no place in our society or under our laws,” Attorney General Jepsen said in a statement today. “I urge the U.S. Supreme Court to affirm these decisions and recognize the same equal protection rights for all married couples.”

Jepsen signed onto to amicus briefs in defense of a California decision that struck down Proposition 8, a referendum making same-sex marriage illegal, and a New York case in which a federal appeals court struck down DOMA.

The New York case is especially important in Connecticut, because it affirms the rights of all married couples to equal benefits under federal law, including the economic benefits of filing a joint tax return or receiving a survivor’s benefit from Social Security, Jepsen said.

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